I had the privilege of attending 2 of the most important shows in the USA from May 31 to June 3 at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.
The COUTURE Show was one of the most exclusive destinations for the designer fine jewelry and luxury timepiece market. The show catered to an elite community of renowned heritage brands, emerging design talent and the finest retailers.
The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show was the largest trade-only event that catered to the antique and estate jewellery and watches industry with exhibitors displaying the finest merchandise from across the globe. I saw the best of the antique and vintage jewellery collection at the show from reputed names such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., David Webb, Harry Winston, Patek Philippe, Van Cleef & Arpels and Rolex, as well as unique, one-of-a-kind unsigned pieces spanning from Edwardian to Retro eras!
One of the most important highlights of the COUTURE Show was the COUTURE Design Awards. All of the pieces that entered this prestigious design competition were on display in the design awards hallway in a museum-quality display, and 2 of my favourite pieces that won were:
1) Fenice (the Italian word for Phoenix) necklace by Gismondi under the category of Best In Diamond in above 40K USD.
2)The Black Veil Mask by Richard We under the category of โThe Peoples Choice Award 2024โ
The third-generation jeweller and gemologist Karina Brez is renowned for creating jewellery inspired by the beauty and elegance of horses. Talking about her inspiration for Equestrian Jewelry, Karina shared, โOur collections highlight the love and partnership between humans and horses. Whether you are immersed in the equestrian world or just want to embody the equestrian spirit, we hope that the pieces you see inspire and add some beauty to your life.โ
Let me know what you think about the inspiration and the designs of Karina.
The new addition to the Couture Show was Luminaries by Couture, where six BIPOC designers were hand-picked and mentored by the Couture Diversity Action Council. The designers who made up the Luminaries by COUTURE are Alexia Connellan, Ama McKinley of Ilium Wing, Bliss Lau, Casey Perez, Hiba Husayni of ZAHN-Z Fine Jewelry and Sasha Flynn of Adore-Adorn. Featured above is The Phoenix Brooch Alexia Connellan that centres 28.64-carat Muzo Colombian emerald.
Itโs always a pleasure meeting dear Anne-Marie Le Flanchec, Founder and Designer of MARCELINE (formally known as AWKN1) and admire her wonderful and unique creations! Featured in the video is the Akansha Bracelet set in Pave.
One of the key highlights of the Couture Show was a visit to Xiao Guan Jewelry. The wearable art featured above is a unique brooch that encapsulates a hidden water fountain deep in the woods. The centre stone is black Opal; intertwined with white pearls and diamonds, in both pavรฉ and reverse settings, with brilliant and rose-cut styles, creating layers of ripples shimmering between light and shadow. The brooch can also be worn as a pendant!
Let me know how would you style this stunning wearable art!
Recreating Cardi B Met Gala Moment! It was a thrilling experience for me to wear the same one-of-a-kind necklace that Cardi B wore at the Met Gala 2024. Handcrafted by Indian designer Kamyen the necklace features a 141-carat Gubelin-certified Colombian emerald and is intricately captured amongst fancy-shaped diamonds, and a special cut Lotus-cut motif. And thatโs not all, complementing this centrepiece is a pair of traditional โChandbaliโ earrings, crafted in Colombian emeralds and white and yellow briolette cut diamonds.
Seahorses are small marine fish with horse-like heads and upright swimming posture. In various cultures, seahorses symbolize strength, persistence, and tranquillity. At Italian designer Chantecler, I saw Seahorse-inspired earrings made in Titanium, White gold and diamonds that are sure to add the perfect touch of grace and style to any glamorous outfit.
It was a most memorable 5 days at the Couture Show and I look forward to the next edition!